More than 1,200 participants from over 40 countries, some 150 green-tech start-ups, dozens of new technologies, and a full program of keynotes and workshops. “This year, in the 11th edition of The Business Booster, we expect 25% new innovations and more visitors than ever”, the organization of EIT InnoEnergy’s annual networking event says. Moreover, on top of all these innovating forces, energy industry representatives, financial communities, policymakers, and regulators will visit the event on October 18 and 19.
After cities like Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris, and Lisbon, The Business Booster (TBB) lands in Amsterdam this year. As always, the two days are filled with inspirational sessions on the crossroads of business and purpose. The event, held at the RAI Congress Venue, will delve into the topic of ‘The new Green Economy: balancing profit and purpose’.
Event organizer EIT InnoEnergy is spearheading the way to a decarbonized Europe by 2050 through three industrial value chains: European Battery Alliance (EBA) for battery storage, European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center (EGHAC) for green hydrogen, and the European Solar PV Industry Alliance (ESIA) for solar photovoltaics. All three value chains will be represented in Amsterdam. EIT InnoEnergy, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), claims to have have built “the largest sustainable energy innovation ecosystem in the world”. It has supported more than 500 sustainable energy innovations and invested in over 200 companies, “all on track to generate 110 billion in revenue and save 2.1 gigatonnes of CO2e accumulatively by 2030”. EIT InnoEnergy also runs a Master School which has 1,600 graduates from more than 100 countries.
Green economy
To reach climate neutrality by 2050, the transition to the new green economy is critical, but are we really prepared? One of the plenary sessions at the event tries to find answers to that question. Immediate responses to energy security issues since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have dialed back near-term progress on decarbonization and a middle-ground needs to be achieved. Do we even have the capacity for all that comes with the green economy? What technological challenges does it bring? How can we address the skills gap to support the transition? New processes will also need to be set up that ensure cash arrives where and when it is needed. While these challenges may seem daunting, a practical focus on action can help us tackle them head-on.
Another session addresses the right balance between profit and purpose. To drive progress from the old energy economy we need to accelerate the decarbonization of hard to abate industrial value chains. Many initiatives are starting to tackle this challenge, but we cannot completely disregard the old – a balance between profit and purpose needs to be met. Various initiatives and players are making strides to decarbonize industries, create new economies and spur job creation at the same time. What can we learn from these practical examples to achieve more, sooner? Will we remain locked in competition or are opportunities in co-opetition to be found?
New start-ups
One out of every four start-ups at the event in Amsterdam is new to The Business Booster. Here are some of them:
Thematic field: Renewable energies
Long-term, stable, multifunctional and anti-reflective coating for PV modules.
Thanks to the bio-inspired hierarchical micro- / nanotextures of the Phytonics coating, incoming light can be captured almost completely. This is achieved with a highly durable and outdoor stable polymeric outer layer on the solar modules. The coating is applied in a roll-to-plate process on the glass sheets prior to the module fabrication process.
Thematic field: Transport and Mobility
An innovative company, whose plating additives improve the protective and mechanical properties of metallic coatings.
Coat-it can do miracles with its’ nano-additives for plating of protective coatings and surface treatment. Using just as little as nano can be, coat-it products improve significantly anticorrosion properties, increase hardness, wear resistance and add new functionalities to surface.
Thematic field: Circular economy
Compact mono-incinerator for sewage sludge and other organic waste utilization.
Empyrio inventors developed a system which provides a complex pre-drying and subsequent burning of high-moisture organic waste. The system burns it by itself without using additional side energy sources and raw materials, ensuring the cyclicity of the process. The heat from the burning process is sent to wet waste preliminary drying and further incineration.
Thematic field: Renewable energies
Light durable PV panels.
Heliup produces a lightweight solar PV modules suitable for the large rooftops of commercial and industrial buildings. This innovative technology has been developed at CEA-LITEN and provides an insurable, reliable and efficient light solar PV solution compatible for buildings with load/structural limitations. The company also offers building owners and users means to better control their energy costs, bringing auto-consumption within reach.
Thematic field: Renewable Energies.
Solar-powered irrigation system without need of storage.
SolaQua’s proprietary solution focuses on power electronics management, narrowing the gap between large PV installations and irrigation systems. An innovative business model facilitates the financing of PV powered irrigation projects by banks and investors. An advantage of the system is the creation of separate legal entities (SPVs) that connect all stakeholders and sources of finance through long-term purchasing agreements, without the need for initial investment by customers.
Thematic field: Smart and Intelligent Cities and Buildings
From Magrail to Hyperloop.
Nevomo is developing MagRail, a technology that enables a quick, phased implementation of hyperloop-inspired transportation technology within railroads’ systems.
Thematic field: Transport and mobility
A green revolution in urban freight distribution
Incitis reinvents urban truck architecture with H2SPEED, specifically designed for urban use and delivery drivers. H2SPEED introduces a pioneering truck that can be completely loaded/unloaded on “even footing”, that is tailored to the variety and unpredictability of urban delivery, and that emits zero emissions and makes zero noise.
Thematic field: Renewable energies
Generating electricity from the Earth atmosphere.
iON-ENERGY has succeeded in converting energy of the Earth atmosphere into electricity. Finally we can make a huge impact in the energy transition with the Energy Box, which will provide energy to your home.
Thematic field: Circular economy
AI for sustainable minerals exploration.
Precise satellite imagery is the most efficient data source for minerals exploration available today. With AI processing and analyzing it becomes even more promising.
